Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,guest hairpinlace
Date: 14 Apr 12 - 08:38 PM

the clearest Engllish version I found on youtube is this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=UhAtIy4rRf8

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Ann Burgess
Date: 06 Sep 13 - 10:45 AM

I learned this with the junior section of the Orpington Junior Singers in the UK in the 1960s. The words were different:
The fiddles, they sing it and sob it and swing it,
They sway as they play it, they sing all they say.

The clarinet, the clarinet, goes doowa doowa doowa doowadet,
The clarinet, the clarinet, goes doowa doowa doowadet.

The horns, the horns, they shout it out,
The horns, the horns, they shout it out.

The drum has no trouble, just double, dub-double.
Five-one, one five; boom boom boom boom boom!

And the trumpet must trum-t-t-t-t-t-t, trum-t-t-t-t-t-t, trum-t-t-t-t,
And the trumpet must trum-t-t-t-t-t-t, trum-t-t-t-t-t-t, ta!

The bassoon it makes a point of counterpoint,
Da da da da da da, da da da da
The bassoon it makes a point of counterpoint,
Da da da da da da da.

A couple of decades later I was head of music in Homefield Boys' School, Sutton (south of London in the UK). I used The Orchestra Song but my choir seemed to be coping very well so I added some extra verses I made up myself. I wasn't aware they'd travelled anywhere; but I was very gratified to see someone mention one of mine:

The 'cello is mellow, it sings a flowing melody;
The 'cello is mellow, it sends me to sleep!

At this point my version of it slowed right down with mock snoring from the boys and stopped briefly, before they 'awoke' for a final rousing reiteration of the tutti.

The following year I squeezed yet another verse in:

The harp is so enchanting, it…
and for the life of me I can't remember what it did after that although I can remember the melody very well!

So if any of my ex pupils from Homefield remembers that one, perhaps they'd post those up here as well! I could do the score for the extra verses if anyone is interested.

And I've never heard of the piccolo verse so please post the notes somewhere!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Guest (
Date: 27 Oct 14 - 12:11 PM

Hello all! I'm about to revise and typeset my English version of this delightful group song for my private files, much closer in meaning to the original German, and can offer a few corrections/additions:

1. Herr Geissler published the original version in 1886.
2. To fit the rhythm, the first time the Geige verse is sung, the two-syllable versions "singet" and "klinget" are used; the second time, the ending is "klingt", without the "e".
3. In most German versions I've seen (on the Internet), the Klarinett verse ends not in "dua det" but "gar so nett".
4. The Horn verse should be "...es ruht sich aus. Es bringt nor einen Ton herraus," not "das," which means "the". (See note at end of item 5.)
5. It should be "Die Trompete, sie schmettert," not "die schmettert", which makes no grammatical sense. (The meaning is "it", not "the" before a verb!)

Finally, to Ann Burgess:

Yes! PLEASE transcribe the scores for:

Cello;
Harp;
Piccolo (if someone else here has by then responded to your request to post the notes!);
Drums, if you can find them (as was indicated, different from Tympani verse); and
Trombone.

For your harp verse most of which you've forgotten, would this fit your rhythm, syllable-wise?:

The harp is so enchanting, and serenity it's granting,
Sounding just like rain and waterfall.
The harp is so enchanting, and serenity it's granting;
Like tinkling rain, it soothes us all.

Yours in shared love of music,

Choirmistress

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Choirmistress
Date: 01 Dec 14 - 01:45 PM

More corrections and additions:

"Geisler" is with just one "s" on the oldest version I have yet seen (courtesy of a German website?), and I'm afraid I was also way off in the year of publication. 1886 was the year of his birth (died 1952), so from the list of songs under "Die Geige" OR "Zur Feier", the closest possible publication date is circa 1927.

"Die Trommel" is supposed to imitate a drum. That's why those two words are the only ones sung. The German fellow who provided a few different versions of the sheet music suggested experimenting with sounds and articulation. My version would just use the syllable "pa" (no, not short as in "pal", but with the short "u" sound).

And the bassoon verse is supposed to read "makes a point IN counterpoint".

And now all I have left to say is to repeat my request for the lyrics and sheet music to the cello, harp, piccolo, and trombone verses. Once I have those, I can complete my typesetting of the lyrics to all TEN verses.

Thanks in advance for the above information.

Regards, Choirmistress.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Choirmistress
Date: 01 Dec 14 - 05:09 PM

A P.S. to my above post:

The German website with printable sheet music available is deutscheslied.

Hope this helps.

Still awaiting the words and notes to the cello, harp, piccolo and trombone verses.

Choirmistress

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Choirmistress
Date: 09 Dec 14 - 02:37 PM

Does ANYONE have the sheet music (or can just name the notes by letter) for:

cello
flute
harp
piccolo; and
trombone?

I am waiting for these so I can typeset my closer-to-the-original-German version.

Then I can post it along with a French version and a Latinized Hebrew version.

Regards,
Choirmistress

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Bob Schwarer
Date: 10 Dec 14 - 12:20 PM

Is this any help?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yth_XQ0lBEc

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 11 Dec 14 - 07:48 AM

Choirmistress, there seem to be only five original voices. All the rest has been added by more or less talented epigons in various languages. You are entitled to do your own, which will be exactly as original as anybody else's.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Choirmistress
Date: 11 Dec 14 - 12:01 PM

Hi, Grishka, and thanks for your response.

The fellow who answered my e-mail to Deutscheslied sent me back a few versions, all of which included:

V. 1: Geige (violin);
V. 2: Klarinett (clarinet, well d'uh);
V. 3: Pauke (tympani/kettledrum);
V. 4: Trompete (trumpet);
V. 5: Horn; and
V. 6: Trommel (smaller drum).

I suspect that the reason the Trommel is seldom mentioned is that it is not sung but done by "sound effect" such as finger snaps, claps, slaps, striking wooden blocks, or whatever.

It is the bassoon that is generally acknowledged to be the first addition (anyone have a year for those, excluding me, who are interested?) to the circa-1927 original six verses.

Thank you for your input.

Regards, Choirmistress

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: Leadbelly
Date: 11 Dec 14 - 03:30 PM

Choirmistress, in my own feelings I think Bob Schwarer was a great help. Should have been mentioned by name.

But naturally, it's up to you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Choirmistress
Date: 12 Dec 14 - 11:48 AM

To Bob Schwarer:

I appreciate your effort, and am grateful for your time and trouble. I tried sending this thank-you post yesterday but apparently it didn't go through.

Sorry, but the link you provided was to an English version with the already familiar existing five or six verses mentioned in the original German.

Again, the verses I am still seeking the lyrics and notes to are:

Cello;
Harp;
Piccolo; and
Trombone.

Thanks again for your effort.

Regards, Choirmistress

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Choirmistress
Date: 12 Dec 14 - 11:53 AM

To Leadbelly:

Now updated.

Regards, Choirmistress.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 14 - 12:41 PM

Great, Choirmistress. That's what we like!

Regards, Manfred

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 13 Dec 14 - 07:21 AM

Choirmistress, the poster Ann Burgess (06 Sep 13 - 10:45 AM) tells us that she devised the cello and harp parts herself, presumably only in English, and makes no claim of exceptional ingeniousness. If she does not turn up again, you can proclaim a Mudcat SONG CHALLENGE, for entries in ABC Notation. You should insist on C major.

It would make sense to design the whole piece for mixed choir. For example, the original timpani part would be transposed down an octave, to be sung by men. Additions for cello etc. should also be for male voices.

Why do you think that the Trommel part is by Geisler himself?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 13 Dec 14 - 01:13 PM

Here is my tentative CHALLENGE submission with all the requested instruments plus a double bass. To view/typeset the sheet music and listen to the music, there are basically two ways:

a) use a programme called abc2xml to transform the ABC to MusicXML, which then can be read into Sibelius, Finale, MuseScore and many other notation programmes.

b) enter the ABC text into ABC software such as EasyABC or ABCExplorer.

Everybody is welcome to improve upon my proposals, or make their own. Add other instruments such as "The b-b-b-b-b-b-bodh-rán". I suggest that submitters only post the part starting "V:", to work with the same "header" (i.e. the lines from "X:" to "K:C").

X:1
T:Orchestra Song Additions
L:1/8
I:linebreak $
K:C
%
V:picc name="Piccolo" clef=treble^8
%%MIDI program 72
g2 | g>e e "(whisle)" g e'c'| b/c'/d'/b/ g2 g2 | g>f f "(whisle)" g f'd'| c'/d'/e'/c'/ g2 g2 |
w:The pic-co-lo ******** can prickle, oh! ********* and
g>e e "(whisle)" g c'e'| !trill!g'4 g2 | g>f f "(whisle)" g f'd'| c'4 |]
w:tickle, oh! ***** like sick, oh lo!
%
V:harp name="Harp" clef=treble
%%MIDI program 46
G,2|(3G,CE (3GEG c2 | (3G,B,D (3GDG B2 |
w:Not eas-y to tune is the harp, oft-en it's flat or it's sharp,
(3G,B,D (3FGB d2| (3CEG (3cGc e2 |
w:but if the tu-ning is right, we will have pur-est de-light.
(3G,CE (3GEG c2 | (3G,B,D (3GDG B2 |
w:Pluck-ing like plin-ke-ti-plong, oft-en it's right or it's wrong;
(3G,B,D (3FGB dG,| (G,2 !slide!c2) |]
w:if you're a-fraid that you'll miss, just gllll-iss!
%
V:trb name="Trombone" clef=bass
%%MIDI program 57
G,G, |G,4 E,C,| D,6 | G,4 D,2 | E,4 G,G,|
w:The trom-bone does its own, drawn and blown. And its
G,4 E,C,| D,2 D,4 | G,4 D,2 | E,4|]
w:tube is cy-lin-dric, not a cone!
%
V:cello name="Cello" clef=treble_8
%%MIDI program 42
G,2 |G, E,3 G,C| B, F,3 G, A, | B,C DC B,A, | G, E,2 G, E,F,|
w:The cel-lo can sound mel-low, if the play-er knows to treat it well, oh, but if some
G, E3 EF | G F3 DC| B,C D2 F2 | E C3|]
w:fel-low makes it bel-low, it turns lem-on juice to jell-o.
%
V:db name="Double bass" clef=bass
%%MIDI program 43
G,2|C,3 C, B,,A,,| G,,4 G,,2| G,,3 A,, G,,F,,| E,,4
w:Deep down, the dou-ble bass will pace, but hard-ly race,
G,,2|E,,2 E,,2 E,,2| G,,4 G,,2| G,,2 B,,2 G,,2 | C,4|]
w:the foot-ing to brace with firm-ness and grace.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Bob Schwarer
Date: 13 Dec 14 - 07:30 PM

Here's a cute rendition I ran across.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxx5ghVmdMo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Apr 15 - 01:19 PM

'tHE DRUMS HAVE NO TROUBLE, JUST DOUBLE DUM dOUBLE, 5, 1; 1, 5 BOOM, BOOM, BOOM BOOM, BOOM"

"tHE CLAR-I-NET, THE cLARINET, GOES DOO-A-dOO-A-DOO-A-DOO-A DET..."

"tHE HORN, THE HORN; IT SOUNDS SO FORLORN..."

"tHE BASSOON, IT MAKES A POINT OF COUNTERPOINT, TRA- LA-LA-LA-LA-LA,
tRA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA..."


mY MOTHER TAUGHT ME THESE VERSES; SHE HAD SUNG THEM AT WITTENBURG

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Oct 18 - 11:11 AM

These are some of the words to a song which have been buzzing around in my head since my childhood. I can even sing it although I'm not sure all the words are correct...

The violin of all the strings we take the lead and have the most to do, we gaily play the melody and sing away the whole piece through.

The clarinet, the clarinet of all the woodwind we most notes can get, a single reed is all we need to make our smooth and mellow sound....

It goes on to name other instruments but I'm afraid I can't remember anymore. Can anyone help please?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 08 Oct 18 - 03:18 PM

The version I best remember has the lyrics
submitted by Alice in her January 2000 post to this thread.

"Guest," who submitted the post before mine,
check out the January 2000 post from "Animaterra" a/k/a AllisonA,
for her lyrics are a close match to yours,
and there are close matches in other earlier posts as well.

I had no idea this thing was German in origin. Good to know!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Oct 18 - 04:22 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JUKuiWfhig

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Carol Novitsky
Date: 04 Nov 18 - 09:53 AM

My great-uncle used to conduct a chorus of all his guests whenever we had family reunions at his beautiful creekside property. We would do a "German Orchestra Song" that was a grownup version of the one John MacKenzie above refers to. No guitar. But it did have a Bassgeigen that said:
   Reifen Morgen! Reifen Morgen! Brrrrrr! Brrrrrr!

It also had changing rhythms: the intro lines w/Musikante and Schwabenland were in a strict 3/4 like a Landler. The instrument voices were in 2/4 and the instrument sounds like Reifen Morgen were in a swung dotted rhythm.

The first instrument I believe was a Geigen that said:
   Sinzi Linzi Sinzi Linzi Sinzi Linzi Strum Strum!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Ladi
Date: 03 Mar 19 - 07:54 PM

I used to sing this in Lagos, Nigeria as a boy. The reason I could only remember ‘the horns’ was because it was the was the part given to me to to sing. A simpler time.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: MudGuard
Date: 04 Mar 19 - 03:04 PM

From one of the older posts way above:

"Das Bassoon kommt mit dem kuntrapunkt-lah laaahhh, la la la la la
la la--la la la"
(repeat)

should be:

"Das Fagott kommt mit dem Kontrapunkt-lah laaahhh, la la la la la
la la--la la la"

The English name "bassoon" is not in use in German, we call that instrument "Fagott".

Nouns are started with a capital letter in German, and the "u" must be an "o"

Greetings from Germany,
MudGuard a/k/a Andreas